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Faculty Collaborating with Community Mini-Grant

The Center for Health Equity (CHE) in the Graduate School of Public Health is pleased to announce a mini-grant opportunity for full-time or primary faculty in the Schools of the Health Sciences and the School of Social Work doing work with communities on a health equity issue.

Healthy People 2020 defines health equity as the "attainment of the highest level of health for all people. Achieving health equity requires valuing everyone equally with focused and ongoing societal efforts to address avoidable inequalities, historical and contemporary injustices, and the elimination of health and health care disparities." Source: U.S. DHHS, Office of Minority Health. National Partnership to End Health Disparities. The National Plan for Action Draft as of February 17, 2010 [Internet]. Chapter 1: Introduction

Healthy People 2020 defines a health disparity as “a particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social, economic, and/or environmental disadvantage. Health disparities adversely affect groups of people who have systematically experienced greater obstacles to health based on their racial or ethnic group; religion; socioeconomic status; gender; age; mental health; cognitive, sensory, or physical disability; sexual orientation or gender identity; geographic location; or other characteristics historically linked to discrimination or exclusion.” Source: U.S. DHHS. The Secretary's Advisory Committee on National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2020. Phase I report

The Following Guidelines Apply to this Mini-Grant Application

Who Should Apply

• Only full-time or primary faculty (preference will be given to junior faculty) in Pitt Schools of the Health Sciences and the School of Social Work working on a health equity issue with a community-based organization (CBO) (e.g., conduct an assessment, an evaluation, or to do necessary groundwork that will lead to larger funding). Examples of previously funded projects include a pilot study in partnership with Planned Parenthood on preventing teen dating violence, a workshop in collaboration with the African American Women's Speakers Bureau on adherence and health promotion for African American breast cancer survivors, Pitt Nursing faculty and students conducting a needs assessment and evaluating the expansion plan for community food pantries, and Epidemiology Professor collaborating with Pittsburgh Black Breastfeeding Circle to explore the breastfeeding challenges of African American women.

Application Requirements

• The application must be initiated and completed by a faculty member in one of Pitt's Schools of the Health Sciences or the School of Social Work• Applications must address a health equity issue in Western Pennsylvania, preferably Allegheny County. The application must include:

description of the project

statement of the problem

goals & objectives

methods

expected outcomes

• Timeline• Budget & budget justification• An explanation of how this project advances the cause of health equity• An explanation of how this project advances the research of the faculty initiating the submission• A letter of support from the partnering CBO• Complete all required sections of the online application—incomplete applications will not be considered.• For questions regarding the mini-grant application process, please contact Dr. Patricia Documet, CHE Scientific Director.

Selection Criteria

• A committee consisting of Pitt faculty, CHE Community Research Advisory Board (CRAB) members, or CHE Community Partners will review and score each application based on this rubric.

Funding Amount

• One $2500 grant will be awarded• Funds will be made available through the Department of awardee faculty appointment which must have an 04-type of account to receive the fund transfer• Funds can be used for items such as:

o data collection

o participant payments

o purchase of datasets or needed materials

o research personnel compensation

• Funds cannot be used to cover faculty salary or computer equipment

Important Dates

• Application deadline is March 5, 2018. • Notification of awards will be made on April9, 2018.

• Funds will be disbursed in April 2018 for use during the University of Pittsburgh’s fiscal year of July 1, 2018-June 30, 2019.• All projects/initiatives must be completed by April 30, 2019.

Expectation of Award

• Within 4 weeks of project completion and no later than May 31, 2018, the faculty member must submit a final one-page written report that includes:o Description of project, accomplishments, and outcomes

o How funds helped with project implementation• By accepting the mini-grant award, the faculty member and CBO agree to present at a CHE Community Research Advisory Board (CRAB) meeting; and permit CHE to use their names and grant details on the CHE website, in annual reports, and promotional materials without further compensation.